Configure CRM to suit the trading and processes of your business

The flexible and intelligent set up of De Facto® Customer Relationship Management (CRM) module allows you to manage, prompt and track activities in real-time. The module can be configured to exactly suit the trading and processes of a business.

“Event based activity management” is the most accurate description of the scope of CRM. The features and applications of the module can be applied to many different elements of the overall ERP solution, with instant drill down to the relevant activities.

De Facto Customer Relationship Management is a core element of the ERP solution and is complemented by the eCRM portal which allows configurable web and app based CRM applications to be deployed for both remote and internal users.

The CRM database is a single data repository for all forms of contacts. It is most often built around the customer, supplier and contact records held in the other ERP modules. This can be supplemented by use of the CRM’s own Prospect, End user, Staff, Miscellaneous and Private contact databases.

Flexible set up leads to benefits in a combination of ways in four areas

Flexible set up means that De Facto® Customer Relationship Management can be used in a combination of ways throughout different areas of a business. A few limited examples are:

Use to work efficiently

Diary management
Book meetings or resources including Smartphone Integration

Work tracking
Control work status, % complete and estimated time to completion

To Do Lists
Provide combination of diary management and work tracking

Manage activities with Events

The heart of De Facto® Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is the “Event” which provides a record which can be used to document or schedule an activity or task. Events can be used to generate or record email that is generated from within the CRM module or eleswhere within the ERP system.

Each Event holds free typed subject line and body content, much like an email. Events can be linked to multiple other records within the ERP system, categorised, have priorities defined and target dates set.

Specific Event types can have tables of user defined fields which makes the Event structure very flexible. This means a business can create a form to capture, for example, a “customer enquiry” using a variety of text entry, checkbox, lookup or drop down list fields.

Events are assigned to users to action or own. Other users and resources can also be linked to an Event so that they are notified each time it is changed. The system also ensures it is easy to see who has read their Event notifications.

Change the status of an Event

A number of Event statuses can be created. These can be used to monitor its progress and can be further used to control related transactions and records within the main ERP system. For instance an Event can be created for purchase order authorisations and change status from Awaiting Authorisation to Received Authorisation.

Various profiles can be established that will define a recurring pattern for a specific Event and be used, for instance, for proactive telesales call lists or scheduled maintenance plans.

The De Facto ERP transactions can be configured to automatically create events for activities such as the chasing of quotations or credit control alerts etc.

Record Time against Events and then build timesheets

Time sheet based activities can be used to enable real-time recording of time against events from which time sheets are built. These can be used to pay staff and for booking against jobs and projects using the De Facto Job Costing Software.

Store and amend Attachments against Events

As with an email, an Event can have multiple attachments, which have the advantage of being updatable within the Event. These attachments can be almost any type of document, usually Microsoft® Office documents, PDFs and image files.

Use mobile devices and email with Events

De Facto Microsoft Exchange integration allows contact and diary information to be synchronised with Exchange and therefore into Outlook and onward to external devices such as Apple iOS (including iPhones and iPads), Windows Mobile, Android and Blackberry mobile phones and tablets.

The De Facto Document Management System can be configured to provide both fully automated and optional email logging between mailboxes and the De Facto CRM system. For example, selected emails can be created as Events.

Real-time ERP Integration

In common with all De Facto modules, the CRM system is integrated on a real-time basis with the Financial and Distribution and Manufacturing suites. The CRM provides these modules with a highly configurable fully integrated workflow management solution.

Flexible Analysis and Reporting

User-definable analysis and reporting is available from De Facto Business Intelligence Software. This utilises the power of SQL Server analysis and reporting services to produce reports from both the database and Online Analytical Processing cubes. The OLAP cubes provide instant analysis based on a multi-dimensional model, placing instant answers at your fingertips. Reports can be on demand or automatically distributed based on pre-determined schedules or triggered via the database to be run as alerts when required.

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